Los Angeles to San Francisco Road Trip Guide
Introduction
Los Angeles, CA, is home to the glittering gems of Hollywood legends and royalties. The city has its share of historic landmarks, hidden natural beauty, and the glamorous behind-the-scenes of the even more glamorous front.
If you have nothing but a short weekend to take a much-needed break, we suggest you plan a trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco with your best buddies and enjoy everything the two cities have to offer - plus everything in between.
This RV road trip will include a variety of coastal landscapes, surfers’ dream escapes, quaint hidden towns, food fiestas, and wine country. The road trip will allow you the chance to explore diverse landscapes and beautiful rural settlements between the two metropolises. It’s one of the best RV road trips to take with your friends and create memories along the way.
San Francisco is nothing like Los Angeles, which makes it all the more appealing to road trippers who are on the lookout for experiencing something new. The iconic Golden Gate Bridge, the memorable Sutro Baths, the Painted Ladies of Alamo Square, Bay Bridge, the Embarcadero, and the magnificent Seal Rocks near Sutro Baths are just some of the iconic locations awaiting you at your destination.
Point of Interest
Carmel By the Sea
Just a little north of Big Sur is the iconic town of Carmel By the Sea. It would be near criminal to miss this town. Carmel is one of those cute little towns with friendly locals, delicious food, boutique shopping, and eateries that welcome you even without reservations.
The charming town puts passersby and RV road trippers under its magical spell as they take a leisurely stroll through it. Wine sampling is just as great here and so is the scenery, considering its proximity to Big Sur. It is also less crowded and has a very fairy-tale vibe to it. Even regular houses here give the appearance of being cozy and warm and straight out of storybooks we used to read as kids. It is also a great stopover if you’re coming here with your significant other as it has been named one of the "World's Best Cities for Romance."
Big Sur
Big Sur is a massive wilderness area along Highway 1 and home to Bixby Creek Bridge, an impressive architectural and aesthetic feat. The wilderness offers an amazing dining experience and features a homely pub called the Big Sur Tap House and an affordable snack place called the Big Sur Deli. Yet, the greatest highlight of this wilderness area is the McWay Falls.
This breathtakingly beautiful and surreal waterfall gushes out of a rocky cliff and plunges into the undisturbed and untouched beach enveloped by turquoise, clear blue water. That’s not all, you can spend a night here camping in your RV at the Big Sur State Park and take a hike through the thick foliage, only to be blown away by the lush and very rare California redwoods.
If you don’t feel like doing anything then just settle down on the beach and watch the waves crash into the cliffs as the sun settles down on the horizon.
Solvang
Solvang in Santa Ynez Valley isn’t an ordinary town of southern California but one that has brought traces of another country to life, namely, Denmark. A group of Danish immigrants who settled in the Valley wanted familiar surroundings in the USA and founded this little town that has now become the Danish Capital of the USA.
You can park your RV at a suitable parking spot and enjoy this town on foot. The town has some on-point replicas of famous buildings in Copenhagen. Here you can spot Danish icons and enjoy Danish pastries as well as wine sampling.
If your timing is right, you can also join the Solvang Danish Heritage Festival in which Danish Folk dancers and musicians bring authenticity and culture to the festival. Locals dress like traditional Danish people of old. You can also ride your bicycle through Solvang and enjoy the scenic views of the Santa Ynez Valley.
Point Sandy Dune, Pacific Coast Highway
You’ve got to stop at Malibu and spend a few hours at the Point Mugu State Park where you’ll find the much-talked-about Point Sandy Dune. This is the transcending point where the landscape from the Southern California Coast begins to change as you step into the Northern Coast.
The sand dunes are located right across from the on-beach RV camping site, so you can get settled down at an RV spot and begin your short hike to the sand dunes. The fun part begins when you attempt to climb the dunes. They are high yet easily climbable and make for a few hours of fun and activity.
Time your climb so that once you reach the top, you can catch the sunset or sunrise. Coming down is even easier than the way up and is one of the few places that allows you to be a kid again.
Hindu Venkateswara Temple
You might need to take a little trip east from the highway to see the Hindu Venkateswara Temple in Malibu, up in the hills near Calabasas, CA. You do not need to be of the Hindu faith in order to enter the temple. Anyone can visit as long as they are respectful, which includes removing your shoes and hat upon entering.
This temple was built in 1981 within the Santa Monica Mountains and is one of the largest temples on the West Coast. The temple is under the management of the Hindu Temple Society of Southern California and hence, has the style and architecture of a typical South Indian temple.
The entryway to the temple is massive and so is the central area. You might even get to see a service happening as it is a frequently-visited temple by the large population of Hindus living nearby. The entire temple is adorned by beautifully sculpted figures.
Summary
Upon reaching San Francisco, it's hard to know where to visit and what to miss as there’s always something worth your time and attention around every corner of this city. San Francisco is often dubbed as one of the most beautiful cities of the United States of America and rightfully so. Located on the San Francisco Bay, the city has a mixed skyline consisting of modern skyscrapers as well as Victorian-era buildings.
Make sure to savor the delectable food scene at San Francisco’s streets and do not miss any of the tourist spots, because each one of them is worth the hype. Lombard Street, Japanese Tea Garden, Chinatown, and San Francisco’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area are spots that are simply must-visits.
It’s not just the outdoors. The indoor attractions of San Francisco are just as tempting, with its numerous museums such as the Palace of the Legion of Honor exhibiting European artwork of famous artists, the Asian Art Museum exhibiting anthropology, and the California Academy of Sciences that offers a natural history museum, a planetarium, and an aquarium all under the same roof. It’s hard not to love this city when it offers something for everyone.
